West Shore ready to rock It took 2.5 days for crews to transform the soccer fields at West Shore Parks and Recreation into the venue for today’s Rock the Shores concert. The show features headliners The Tragically Hip and the Sam Roberts Band along with Victoria bands Jets Overhead and Current Swell.

West Shore RCMP will be on-site and one of their tasks will be to block off the grassy hills leading to the lower hills at West Shore Parks and Recreation.

“With 12,000 people showing up there are going to be a lot of people trying to get a free concert,” said Sgt. Max Fossum.

“We will be in full force.”

RCMP officers have had meetings with other emergency services such as fire departments and they want to make sure there are no additional people other than the 12,000 ticket-holders on the concert grounds.

With the temperatures rising there’s also more of a potential for a fire hazard, Fossum said, explaining the conditions add to the stress of trying to manage such a large group of people.

“Parking might be pretty stressful,” said Fossum, adding concertgoers should give themselves a lot of extra time when arriving for the show, which starts at 4 p.m. today, (July 13). “Your best bet is to walk, bike or get dropped off.”

B.C. Transit is adding three extra buses, including two double deckers, running from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. Anyone who cycles to the show will be able to take advantage of the bike valet service and access through the VIP gate.

“We can’t change the roads but we can try to make it easier for people,” Fossum said, adding this is the first time he knows of that more than 12,000 people have been to a single event on the West Shore.

charla@goldstreamgazette.com

Full coverage on the web

Can’t make the show? Follow the events of the concert with us as we provide updated coverage of Rock the Shores through our website, Facebook page and Twitter feed. We’ll have photos and news throughout the evening.